Gearing up for Open Enrollment

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Open Enrollment at MIT for 2014 employee benefits will take place from Monday, Oct. 28 through Friday, Nov. 8, 2013. For 2014, Open Enrollment brings modest premium increases and no increases in copayments — the amounts you pay when you or a family member receives care. And benefit coverages will remain the same except for one small change required by federal health care reform. Also, for the first time, employees will be making benefit choices through Atlas MIT's new administrative systems hub.

Highlights for 2014

Modest premium increases: Although general health care costs continue to increase at 6% to 7% each year, MIT's medical premium increases for 2014 will range from 3% to 5% depending on the plan you choose — Traditional or Choice — and your coverage type — Individual, Individual + Spouse, Individual + Children or Family. Vision plan premiums will increase by 2% on average, and there will be no increases in dental or supplemental life insurance premiums.

No copayment changes: Copayments for medical visits will remain the same: $10 for a visit at MIT Medical and $20 for a visit within the Blue Cross Blue Shield network outside MIT Medical. Copayments for prescription drugs will also remain the same.

Change in coverage for durable medical equipment: While federal health care reform will have a minor impact on MIT's plans in 2014, one change is the elimination of the current $5,000 limit on coverage of durable medical equipment (DME), such as wheelchairs and crutches. Instead, beginning in 2014, the plans will cover 90% of all DME costs with no limit. Diabetes-related equipment will be covered at 100%. The current $5,000 limit on coverage for certain medical formulas, including low protein foods, will also be eliminated.

New online enrollment portal for campus employees: For the first time employees will be making benefit choices through called Atlas, the new administrative systems gateway that allows users to access both self-service and administrative systems all in one place. Employees will be notified via email when Open Enrollment goes live on Oct. 28.

If you wish to continue your current benefits in 2014, no action is required on your part. However, you must sign up for a Flexible Spending Account if you want one, even if you had one last year. Government regulations require you to make a new election every year.

Looking forward

MIT continues to study the long-term implications of health care reform and the evolving marketplace for health care services. While much remains unclear at present, the Institute is committed to offering competitive benefits that promote the health and well-being of faculty, staff and their families. MIT is committed to a change process that will involve community engagement and feedback.

MIT Medical Services

MIT Medical is a premier medical center right on campus. Faculty and staff can choose a primary care provider (PCP) at MIT Medical with either health plan — Traditional or Choice. Under the Choice plan, some family members can choose MIT Medical PCPs even if others choose outside PCPs. And even if you don't have a PCP at MIT Medical, Choice members and covered family members can still use many services at MIT Medical, including Urgent Care, the Eye Service, and even Radiology for easy access to procedures such as mammograms and bone-density testing. In addition, MIT Medical's onsite laboratory makes it convenient to do lab tests ordered by outside PCPs.